Hide and Seek
by Damons-Dark-Wolf
Summary: When Belle is about to be locked up with her father by the angry mob and Gaston, she decides to attempt to save the Beast by challenging Gaston. She will have half a day to hide in the forest, then Gaston will try to find her. Can she hide from the best hunter in all of Villenuave? And what is at stake to motivate Gaston to agree to this challenge? *Based on BATB 2017.*
1. Chapter 1

**Hello!**

 **I know it's been forever since I uploaded anything here on Fanfiction, but I had this idea a not too long ago and I've finally decided to write it. One thing that kepts me busy all this time was college… Good news! I finally graduated with a BS in Neuroscience and a Minor in Native American Studies! Now, the hard part… Finding a job…**

 **Please let me know what you guys think! Should I continue? I am motivated to write by reading your reviews and suggestions!**

 **Anyways… ENJOY!**

Belle

What could she do?

Belle was desperate to save her father, but now she had accidentally placed the Beast in danger, too! She had to think fast, how could she distract Gaston and the villagers? How could she prevent an all-out angry mob from storming the Beast's castle? She looked to the handsome man donning the elegant red captain's coat as he called for her to be locked up in order to prevent her from running ahead and warning the Beast.

 _Okay, if there ever was a plan, now is the time to set it in motion_ … Out of the blue, an idea dawned on the girl. " _Gaston the Hunter_ ", read the painting on the wall of his prized tavern. _Well, if he's such a great hunter, let's put him through his paces and challenge him_ , thought Belle as Gaston's goons came toward her and grabbed her arms. "Gaston! I know what it is you really want!" Gaston's attention was now on the beautiful woman in the gold dress surrounded by his drunken goons, "If you're such a great hunter, prove it to me! Not by hunting the Beast, but by tracking me in the forest!" Gaston squinted his eyes in response, while his arms slowly lowered the enchanted mirror out of view of the crowd. His goons stopped in their tracks after I asserted my challenge, unsure of what action their leader would prefer they take.

 _That's it, take the bait… I knew he couldn't resist a challenge!_

Belle struggled to hide a smirk as Gaston fully faced her now, and nodded for his goons to release her. He lifted an eyebrow at Belle as she continued to make eye contact with him, a silent dare to accept the challenge of the hunt.

"Really, Belle? You think you could hide from and evade me, the greatest hunter in all of Villenuave, in a tracking and hunting challenge? Within my forest, which I know like the back of my hand?" The hunter began to laugh at Belle's challenge, and it wasn't long before the whole village joined him.

 _Just keep playing at it, get him to take the bait and you can save Beast!_

"What? You scared you would lose?" Suddenly, the villagers were so silent that one could hear a clothespin drop from the other side of the village. _Now I know I've gotcha!_ Belle slightly grinned at the thought, knowing she had just messed with Gaston's ego in front of the entire village, _He can't back down now!_

Belle watched as Gaston's jaw clenched and unclenched repeatedly, his shoulders rising and falling as he attempted to breathe to control himself. LeFou moved ever so slightly closer to him, ready to intervene if necessary, knowing a very sensitive bundle of nerves had just been struck by the beauty his friend was determined to marry.

Quietly, Gaston began to laugh before sucking in a deep breath "No, Belle, I just don't want you hurting yourself out there. But, if you insist on this little display, then fine. How should this little game of 'hide and seek' play out? What are the stakes?" His smirk told Belle that he had a pretty good idea what was at stake, but he just wanted to hear it for himself. Belle sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly, opening them once more to meet Gaston's iron gaze. "I go into the forest, on my own, and try to hide from you. After, let's say a few hours, you try to track me down." Belle's father suddenly stirred from his place within the carriage, "No! Belle! Don't!" Belle turned toward the carriage to offer her father a reassuring smile before turning once more toward the man in red.

"Fine." Gaston kept the smirk on his face as he turned toward the intrigued crowd of villagers.

"Now, for the rules…" Gaston's smirk faltered at Belle's words. _Oh, he expected me to make it easy, huh?_

The villagers now faced her, as did Gaston. "First off, I get a head start of half a day. Second, since I will be alone, you must be too. You cannot get help from anyone in the village. That means you cannot have anyone follow me, watch me, or help you track. If you get any kind of aide, I win automatically and you lose. Third, you and everyone in the village must promise to not go after Beast, no matter the outcome!" "But, Belle-" Gaston was cut off by Belle's next words, "Gaston, remember… I know what you want, and if you want any chance of getting it, then this is how it must be! Finally, you must let my father go free." She took his silence that followed as a quiet agreement. Belle could still hear her father's vehement words of disagreement coming from the carriage he was still imprisoned within.

"Fine. You have from sunrise tomorrow until 1:30 tomorrow afternoon to hide. After that, you best beware Belle, for I will find you." Gaston turned away to head home, but before he could leave to prepare for the events to come tomorrow, Belle added, "Well, if I only get half a day, then it is only fair you get the same amount of time to find me." A smirk formed on Belle's lips once more as she watched Gaston's shoulders cringe, a sign that he was unhappy that she was trying to turn things in her favor. He turned to face her once more, "Fine."

Gaston's smirk returned once again, "Oh, I almost forgot… And the stakes, Belle?" She closed her eyes tight and clenched her small fists, as she took in one more deep breath.

 _This is for Beast, you've gotta give him a chance!_

"Me… If you find me, I will marry you. But if you don't, you must give up and allow me to marry whomever I so choose."

 **Soooooo, what do you guys think? Do you like it? Should I continue? Remember, I need reviews to fuel my creativity!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! I just wanted to thank everyone who has left reviews so far! They have made me smile and given me inspiration. I am unsure of the direction this story will take, honestly. I think I will just let it flow in the direction it desires to go.**

 **P. S. I'm kinda weird about admitting it, but Gaston is one of my favorite Disney villains... But I can still admit he is a dick**.

Belle

It is nearly sunrise as the woman named Belle began to stir in preparation for the day ahead. This day will decide her fate, but she cannot back out now, or she may put the Beast at risk. Before leaving the house, she grabbed some bread to sustain herself with while hiding in the forest.

It didn't take Belle very long to find a smug looking Gaston near the fountain in the center of the village. His hands clasped his belt as he stood there waiting for her, still donning that elegant red leather captain's jacket of his. Belle held her head high, wanting him to see her confidence in her ability to evade him, rather than the slight nerves that plagued her now.

"You know Belle, you don't have to go through with this. Why do this the hard way? Just say 'yes' and I'll free your father." The man's words were heard by the woman, but she knew his ways all too well. It also didn't escape her that he made no promise to not go after Beast.

Choosing to ignore his suggestion, Belle held out her hand instead, "The mirror, Gaston." The man's eyes widened, "What?" Belle's gaze and outstretched hand did not falter, "The mirror, Gaston, hand it over. Now." Reluctantly, he reached to his side to grab the object in question, and slowly relinquished it over to Belle.

 _Just as I thought, you little cheat._

Belle grasped the mirror from him and walked over to her where her father stood. "Take this Papa, you may use it to keep an eye on things. Make sure everyone plays by the rules." Belle whispered the last part as her father held the enchanted object close to his chest, as if it were the last remnant of a beloved memory brought to life.

As Belle turned to Gaston once more, the sun began to peak over the horizon from the East. "Well, it is time for the game of 'hide and seek' to begin. Head into your tavern, Gaston, and close your eyes. No one look out the windows or doors to see in what direction I head. And don't forget, Gaston, should you receive any aide, I win." Belle began to back away slowly, as she waited for Gaston to do as she said.

Gaston began to move, but he moved in her direction slightly before stopping. "And don't you forget, Belle, I am the greatest hunter and tracker in Villenueve. I WILL find you, it's just a matter of time, sweetheart." He turned away to head towards the tavern, but stopped and turned around, "Oh, and if you hide in that horrible Beast's castle, then you can forget all about me sparing him. If you hide there, I'll just catch you and kill the Beast so I can mount his head on our wall!" Gaston's threat was not lost on Belle, and now she had to think of a new plan. She could only watch his retreating form, as she dared not say anything to tip him off. Gaston continued to talk even as he got further and further away, yet he made sure he was loud enough for Belle to hear him, "I can hear those wedding bells already! You best be ready for a grande wedding when I find you, Belle!"

 _Oh, the nerve of that man! Don't let him get to you, that's exactly what he wants!_

Belle turned to run and leave, but couldn't stop herself from offering her father a hug. "Good luck, Belle. Don't let that man find you!" "I won't, Papa!"

After making sure Gaston could not see where she was going, Belle took off toward one of the entrances to the village. Without Phillipe, this run will exhaust her, but in order to get a far enough head start, she would have to push herself to her limits. She is entering Gaston's territory for crying out loud, the forest he hunts in daily and knows as well as his own home.

 _Was this a mistake? What if he finds me? Don't think that way! Focus!_

As the woman approached the imposing forest, she stopped for a moment to gather herself and rest. She needed to save some energy just in case. Maybe she could hide up in a tree? With Gaston's threat so fresh in her mind, she dared not even consider hiding in Beast's castle... At least for now. Maybe that will be her last resort, since Gaston would be by himself anyway. Maybe Beast could stand a chance with the help of the servants.

 _Okay, time to move now. I need to get as deep into the forest as I can before Gaston heads out this way!_

Gaston

The man in the elegant redd leather captain's jacket entered the tavern full to the brim with confidence. LeFou quickly joined him, mostly to keep an eye on him so he wouldn't screw this up. Should Gaston get a little over-excited, he might try to go after Belle too soon.

The burly man took a seat in his throne-like chair by the fireplace, with a beer in his hand. LeFou took a seat near him, ready to bolster the man's already big ego and remind him of the rules of Belle's little game. He knows Gaston is determined to marry her, so he will do everything he can to support his friend.

"Oh, Lefou, can't you just hear them already?" Gaston asked dreamily, while lolling his head to the side to look at the fire in the fireplace. "Hear what?" Gaston quickly turned to look at LeFou, astonished that he didn't follow his train of thought. "The wedding bells, Lefou! Can't you just hear them? Belle will finally be mine, once this foolish little game of hers is finished!" LeFou took a swig of his own beer as he watched Gaston lean back in his throne, with his hands up behind his head as he looked to the ceiling.

"After all this time, my patience will be rewarded! Although I just don't understand why she insists on this silly little game..." Gaston seemed truly puzzled by this. "Well, um, maybe she was using this to save that Beast. You know, she did mention that you would have to spare him, win or lose." LeFou's suggestion caught Gaston's attention, and the burly man laughed at the idea. _Why would that beautiful woman ever chose the company of such a horrid creature over himself?_

"Don't be silly, LeFou!" Gaston leaned forward and slapped the smaller plump man on the shoulder, causing some of his beer to spill out and onto the wooden floors. "Whoever said I agreed to spare that thing? I made no such promise, Belle is lucky that I even entertained the idea of playing this little game of hers, and even more lucky that I agreed to her other 'rules' and conditions. Asking me to spare that thing is too much, even for her."

LeFou gulped, unsure of how Belle would respond to this revelation. He had no way to warn her of Gaston's wicked intentions to kill the Beast, even after agreeing to this game he was sure was intended to save the Beast's life. The plump man put on a facade and acted agreeable, only to entertain Gaston for the moment, knowing fully well it would do no one any good to voice his disagreements now.

Gaston decided it would be best to sit in his throne, where he could pass the time until 1:30 came, for that was the time when he could finally go and retrieve his soon to be wife! He was excited, and could hardly wait for his dream to finally come true! Madame Gaston, oh how he loved the sound of that while picturing Belle's beautiful face!


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys!**

 **Sorry for the delay in uploading, it took a while to get some inspiration to write the next chapter. As I said before, I am in the same boat as you, the readers. I have no idea how the story will end, so I guess that's the fun and exciting part!**

 **Again, I would like to thank those of you that leave reviews! They make me smile and i get so excited when I get an email letting me know about a new review!**

 **Sorry this chapter is kind of short :(**

Belle

The beautiful woman in the blue dress had already spent about an hour in the forest, contemplating her strategy and keeping on the move. She knew she would have to outsmart the hunter, on his own turf, in order to win. It'll take some clever thinking in order to outsmart him in the forest where he hunts daily.

As she looked down at her feet to watch her step on the uneven ground, an idea quickly popped into Belle's head. She turned around again, to retrace her steps, but just a little distance away. Then again and again she repeated this process, and soon her footprints failed to leave a discernible track. Instead, it was a jumble of footprints covering a good-sized swath of the forest, making it difficult to tell which way she traversed. Belle even walked backwards at times in order to make it hard to tell where she entered and where she exited this mass gathering of footprints.

 _Maybe this will confuse that smug pig-headed jerk!_

Once Belle was satisfied with her work, she continued on towards the center of the forest, where the trees would be too thick for Gaston's massive black stallion to maneuver in between. But, just to be safe, she made a couple more mass gatherings of footprints, hoping to throw the determined and arrogant hunter off course.

As Belle made her way into the densest part of the forest, she began to wonder how much longer she had before the man in the elegant red leather captain's coat headed out to search for her. Looking to the sky, she got her answer. The sun was at it's highest point, meaning she had about an hour, maybe an hour and a half.

 ** _*Grumble* *Grrgle*_**

Gasping, Belle placed her hand on her stomach in an attempt to quiet it. _Well, I guess I best eat something before my stomach gives away my location._

Taking out half of the loaf of bread from the pocket in her dress, Belle sat beside a tree and thought of Papa and of the Beast. She wondered how he and her friend's from his castle were doing, and she hoped her Papa was doing also hoped he was using the enchanted mirror to make sure Gaston was following the rules she laid out.

Maurice

The older man sat in his quiet little home, clutching the enchanted mirror close to him. He had seen Gaston and LeFou through the mirror, and heard Gaston's admission to not follow all of Belle's rules, namely going after the Beast even though she clearly stated he was not to do so, regardless of who won today.

 _But, would they believe me? Or would they follow Gaston blindly? Would they see me as the crazy old man he has them believing me to be? Oh, Belle, I hope he does not find you, for I do not know how I could get the villagers to believe me should I tell them of his confession. I would have no proof, unless this mirror can show the past._

"Show me Belle." The mirror glowed, and electric bolts rang out from around it as a picture of Belle formed on it's surface. He saw her sitting there, munching on bread and deep in thought. Even he could not tell where in the forest she was, but that didn't mean the hunter who desired her so would not. He knows those woods so well, it would be best to keep the mirror out of view of the windows so he couldn't "accidentally" see it, and subsequently, Belle's location.

Gaston

"Gentleman," Gaston lifted his mug of beer, indicating to the patrons inside to lift theirs in cheer, "I'd like to consider this to be my bachelor party, so I'd like to thank you for coming to celebrate with me!" The patrons in the bar cheered and clinked their glasses, spilling beer on the dirty wooden floors of the tavern. "To me and Belle!" The patrons once again returned the cheer, happy to drink and keep the town hero happy.

Gaston sat down once again in his throne, LeFou by his side. "Once I bring Belle back to the village, we will be married at once! This silly little 'playing hard to get' game can be done with once and for all! Once she's mine, I'll be free to eliminate that wretched beast! Her father shouldn't be a problem, so I won't fret about him anymore. Belle agreed to this, so basically he can't stand in the way anymore."

LeFou nodded, happy that Gaston will leave Belle's father alone now. But, he was still disturbed by Gaston's insisting on destroying the Beast, which would go against Belle's wishes. Then a thought popped into LeFou's head, "Gaston? What if Maurice were to tell the villagers of what you said about the Beast?"

Gaston looked at LeFou as though he just grew a second head. "How could he know? I don't see him in my tavern." Gaston motioned around with his arms to emphasize his point. "Yea, but don't you remember? Belle gave that enchanted mirror to him before she left. She whispered something to him, and I'm sure she told him to keep an eye on you to make sure you are following the rules!" Gaston's eyes went wide with realization, then he relaxed once more. "Don't worry about crazy old Maurice, LeFou! Who are the villagers going to believe? Me, the town hero? Or the crazy old man?"

LeFou wasn't convinced but decided to let the subject drop. Maybe if he stops mentioning Maurice, Gaston really will forget about the old man and maybe MUrice will have a chance at convincing the naive villagers.

"LeFou, fetch my horse. It's nearly time for me to go fetch my bride!" Gaston leaned back in his throne, with his hands behind his head. He needed to conserve some energy for the "hunt" to come. Oh, he couldn't wait to bring Belle back to the village so he could finally marry her! What beautiful children they shall have!


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! So, I start this chapter a bit different and begin with Gaston instead of Belle (I wasn't sure what I could do for her at the moment, so that's why I decided to start with Gaston instead). Like I've said before, I'm writing it as it flows (it's not planned). So, let's see where this goes together, huh? I hope you guys like it!**

 **Thank you to all who leave reviews**!

Gaston

The burly man in the elegant red leather captain's coat left the tavern located in the heart of the village, with very few thoughts in his head and a mission to accomplish. His heart was set and his mind was rather focused on the task at hand as he made his way to the fountain where LeFou stood with a magnificent black steed. The horse pawed at the ground in anticipation when he noticed Gaston making his way toward him, with a holstered gun attached to his belt.

Gaston approached the horse and placed his hands on the horse's face, "This is a special hunting outing we are making today old friend."

LeFou held the reins as Gaston mounted the tall horse, then handed them up to Gaston so that he may have control over the powerful beast. The clock tower struck 1:30 and chimed. "Well, it's hero time!" Gaston kicked the sides of his horse, causing the animal to begin trotting where ever he should be directed to go.

Gaston directed the horse towards the entrance to the village, then pushed the powerful animal to run as swiftly as possible to close in on the immense forest as quickly as he possibly could. _I mean, why waste time? I've been chasing Belle long enough, I deserve a reward for my patience! That reward being Belle, herself!_

Within minutes, they reached the edge of the forest, causing Gaston to pull on the reins to slow the animal down. He didn't want to miss any signs of his intended "prey", after all. It didn't take long for him to spot her footprints on the forest floor. "I've got you now, Belle!" Gaston said more to himself, than to anyone or anything else. He urged his horse on slowly, so that he could follow Belle's trail more easily.

"What the..." Gaston was suddenly at a loss for words when he came upon the little distraction Belle devised for him. _This will take a while to figure out... Damn!_

The burly man dismounted his horse in an attempt to get a better look at the mass gathering of footprints, which are rather difficult to distinguish and read, even from the ground level. He'd have to take his time and carefully examine the prints to best determine which direction Belle truly took off in, for there were several trails that went in various directions. Some tracks seemed to come in towards the gathering of footprints, while others seemed to leave.

 _Dammit! If only she hadn't taken that mirror from me! I could've had her by now!_

About twenty minutes later, Gaston finally figured out which set of tracks to follow and mounted his horse once more to follow them. "So, she thought a little trick like that could stop me from finding her, huh? Well, she'd better be prepared now! I'm even more determined to find her! And when I do, we'll go straight to the church to get married!" Gaston's horse merely neighed in response.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!" Gaston grumbled and slapped his hand to his face. Again he dismounted his horse as he approached yet another mass gathering of footprints left by none other than Belle. _I guess she really wanted to slow me down... No matter though, I shall find her in due time_!

It was another twenty minutes before Gaston mounted his horse once more to follow a set of tracks he had determined to be the correct ones to follow.

 _It seems to me that she may have headed toward the center of the forest, where the trees get rather dense... Of course, she'd do that... My horse won't be able to maneuver there, so I'll have to tie him to a tree whilst I continue on foot. Cute, how she thinks she'll be able to escape from me. Hasn't she learned yet? I don't stop until I get whatever it is I want, and right now, I want her!_

Gaston pushed his horse on, ignoring any other mass gatherings of footprints he stumbled upon, and continued on in the direction he knew the densest part of the forest would be. Once he arrived, he dismounted from his horse and secured the reins to a tree. From now on, he'd continue his search on foot. The only downside is that traveling on foot is much slower than on horseback. _Oh, she still thinks she can beat me at my own game, huh?_

He continued to trudge through the dense forest, his boots crunching fallen leaves and twigs with each step. Suddenly, he felt like he wasn't alone anymore. "Come out, come out, wherever you are, Belle! I know you're around here somewhere! Come on, Belle, why don't you just go ahead and end this silly little game of yours! I told you I'd find you, Belle. I've won, Belle! C'mon out now..."

Belle

Sitting alone in the forest had gotten rather boring, considering she hadn't brought a book to read, since she didn't want to get distracted. So, Belle spent her time thinking instead. She thought about Beast and his servants, she thought about her father, and she thought about various "what ifs?" But some of those thoughts allowed worry to plague her mind, so she'd try distracting herself with inventive thoughts instead.

A cracking twig brought her out of her thoughts suddenly, causing her to become incredibly still and quite in an attempt to listen. A voice rang out that caused Belle's heart to drop... Gaston...

Maurice

The old man hadn't dared look at the mirror yet since Gaston left, both the desires to know and to not know tugging at him at the same time. He wanted to make sure Belle was alright, but he also feared to know if that hunter in red had found his daughter or not. He hoped with all his might that Belle could hold onto her desire for freedom and adventure, and that she could outlast that man's equally strong desire to possess her for himself.

The old man feared the lengths that Gaston seemed willing to go to in order to obtain Belle. What kind of life would that man give her? He didn't dare think about that. Instead, he focused on Belle's intelligence and stubbornness that could easily fuel her victory in this game of hers.

"Show me Belle." Maurice gasped at what he saw... Belle sitting behind some rather large trees in the densest part of the forest, and Gaston just on the other side, seemingly unaware of exactly how close to Belle he actually was as he called out to her. "No... Belle!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys!**

 **I was so happy to see the reviews for the last chapter! Thank you to everyone!**

 **xXPumbaaXx… I'm so sorry you stubbed your toe and got kicked out of the library!**

 **ImagineATale… I did some research regarding French laws on animals in the 1800's, and that will influence the story later on. Otherwise there may be influence from René Descartes (I really dislike him for his views on animals). Not sure just yet.**

 **On with the story!**

Belle

The beautiful woman hiding behind the tree listened quietly as the hunter taunted her in an attempt to draw her out. She knew he was trying to get her to give up her location or to come out into the open completely to surrender. Regardless, she knew she wasn't about to let him win so easily! It was probably only around 3:00, for crying out loud!

Belle heard Gaston's heavy footsteps getting closer, and she feared that she would soon be discovered. All of a sudden, she heard him curse, followed soon by the sound of something big and heavy falling. Belle covered her mouth to keep silent.

 _That big oaf must've tripped! Don't laugh! Don't laugh! Do I dare look to see where he is? Can I make a run for it?_

Belle then heard the sound of Gaston falling once more, but this time it sounded like he was sliding a bit down a hill in the woods. Splat!

 _I don't think I want to know what he just landed in…_ Belle saw this as an opportunity to run, since the hunter will be distracted for a bit due to his fall into who knows what down a nearby hill. _If I don't run now, he'll find me in no time for sure!_

Belle ran in the opposite direction, from which Gaston had just come, in order to leave the dense part of the forest. Upon leaving that area, she discovered Gaston's massive black steed secured to a tree, waiting patiently and staring at her, almost as if he knew that she was the "prey" his master was after today.

 _I should've known he'd use his horse! I know I could've brought Phillipe, but I didn't want to leave him alone like Gaston did his horse. Then again, Gaston's horse must be used to this due to the frequent hunting trips._

Belle contemplated trying to mount Gaston's horse to escape, but thought better of it. _Who knows how that horse of his would react to someone else trying to ride him? Not to mention, I don't particularly like the way he's looking at me._

Belle continued on past Gaston's horse, making sure to change her direction again once she was out of sight of the imposing animal. _Who knows what he may have that animal trained to do! But, if I don't keep moving, Gaston will definitely catch up quickly!_

Belle knew she had to think quickly, for it was only a matter of time before Gaston figured out she was no longer in the densest part of the forest, and he comes looking for her. She thought of climbing a tree, but then realized that she would only corner herself should he notice her up above. She can't go to the Beast's castle, or risk his life. But, maybe if she screamed, the Beast would come to her and take her back to the castle… A loophole maybe?

Maurice

The old man continued to watch as Gaston called out to his daughter, who hadn't dared move a muscle upon realizing the proximity of the hunter. Suddenly, Gaston seemed to have caught his boots on something, causing the enormous man to go tumbling to the forest floor. Maurice stifled a laugh, but couldn't hold back after watching the man in the elegant red leather Captain's coat slip once more as he tried to get up, only to go tumbling down a hill and landing face first in a pile of shit.

 _Oh, the irony of this all!_ The old man thought to himself as he could no longer control his laughter. He simply couldn't help it!

Gaston

The man in the elegant red leather Captain's coat lay still at the bottom of a small hill within the forest, taking a moment to gather himself after his little tumble. _Dammit! I was so close to her, I just know it! My God, what is that smell? Oh, great… I landed in boar crap!_

The hunter in red picked himself up and wiped the foul smelling fecal matter from his face and coat. Luckily, it fell right off his coat, but he will need to find a source of water to cleanse his face. Gaston headed in the direction he knew a small stream to be, _I can't be smelling like this on my wedding day!_

After cleaning up his face, Gaston knew some time had passed and Belle had probably made a run for it. Heading back up the menacing hill he had tumbled down just recently, Gaston's suspicions were confirmed when he no longer felt the presence of another in the vicinity of the densest part of the forest. With this realization, he decided to head back to his loyal steed.

The magnificent black horse pawed at the ground when he saw Gaston returning to him once more. Gaston released the reins from the tree and once again mounted the horse, though he was careful to look for footprints while doing so. Within seconds he had spotted Belle's footprints, but were they new or were they old?

A sudden scream broke the silence of the forest, causing birds overhead to scatter. "Belle…"

Gaston kicked his horse in the sides to get the animal moving, wanting to reach Belle as quickly as possible. _Is she in danger? I never should've let her go into these woods alone! I should know better, since I've seen all the dangerous things in these woods!_

Gaston urged his horse to go faster upon hearing another scream. The animal's powerful legs carried them both at amazingly fast speeds, covering the ground more quickly than Gaston had thought possible, even for his steed.

It didn't take long for him to reach the area where he had expected to find Belle, but when he arrived, all he saw was a glimpse of a tall horned figure carrying Belle away.

 _What on earth was that? Was it that horrid Beast? So, he thinks he can just come and take away what is rightfully mine, now does he? Well, he better think again! Technically, I found Belle, since I did see her! That means I won! Now, I've just gotta go and get my bride… Oh, would you look at that… Large paw prints that I can follow._

"Ready or not, Beast, here I come! Belle is mine!" Gaston shouted as he urged his horse to run and follow the large paw prints in the ground.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey everyone! Sorry I took so long to update. I got a temporary job at a Halloween store, and I've been working 9-6 most days, and I'm exhausted when I get home. We're nearly ready to open our store, so hopefully things will improve then**!

 **Btw, I'm aware the timing of my story may be off (as far as the curse becoming finalized and all that jazz), but for the sake of my story, the curse is a little slower and won't finalize for a little while longer**...

 **Anyway, now for the story**!

Belle

The beautiful woman held tightly onto the Beast as he carried her back to his castle where she would be safe. She knew she needed to tell him about what was going on, but she wanted to wait until she was in the castle where the servants would hear too. Especially since she swore she caught a glimpse of Gaston as Beast carried her away.

 _I know he thinks he's won, but I don't consider myself 'found' until he actually has touched me. In other words, he has to actually capture me for me to consider him the victor_.

It didn't take very long to reach the Beast's castle, and upon entering, the Beast gently placed Belle on her feet. "Are you alright, Belle? Why did you scream?" The Beast looked genuinely concerned for her as he awaited her answer. "I'm happy to tell you what's going on, but I'd also like for everyone else in the castle to know too. That way, we're all on the same page, so to speak." The Beast contemplated her answer for a moment, then nodded in understanding. "Go to the library, I shall gather everyone there for you."

Belle wasted no time heading to the library, where she knew she would have to explain quickly and also come up with a plan. She knew Beast left tracks, so it won't be long before Gaston shows up. A few minutes later, everyone who could move had gathered in the library, with Beast joining them in quiet anticipation of Belle's explanation.

"As you all know, Beast had recently released me so that I may go to my father to help him, and now he has brought me back. Well, he did so because he heard me scream in the woods, and feared I was in trouble... In a way, I guess I am." At this, everyone began whispering and Beast leaned forward, eager to know how he could help Belle. "Back in my village, after Beast let me go to my father, I found him locked in a horse-drawn cart to be taken to an asylum. I begged the villagers to free him, but they said he was raving about a beast in a castle and they deemed him crazy. This man, his name is Gaston, well, I thought maybe he would help me, since he was always so persistent in his advances toward me, going so far as to even ask me to marry him even though we had never courted." Beast let out a growl suddenly, causing Belle to pause for a moment. "I always rejected him, but apparently he can't take 'no' for an answer... Anyway, no one believed me and Gaston didn't seem as though he were going to help me, so I felt I had no choice..." Belle lowered her head briefly before continuing, "I used the mirror to provide proof of my father's words, so they'd let him go. But, the villagers, they panicked. It also didn't help when Gaston began to speak ill of you, Beast, to get them rilled up into an angry mob. He was going to lock me up with Papa so that I couldn't warn you, but then I got an idea. Oh, Beast, I did it to protect you! To protect all of you!"

"What did you do, dear?" Mrs. Potts asked for everyone. "I... I, challenged Gaston..." No one seemed to understand the severity of the situation, so Belle explained further about the challenge she issued, the rules of the game, and what was at stake. At the end of it all, everyone had gathered around her to support her, and pledge to help in any way they could.

"That's just it, if I get help, he may call me out for being unfair, since I stated one of the rules was that he couldn't get any help from anyone... So, I want you all to remain still and do not intervene, okay? And Beast, you need to stay hidden! He will kill you if he sees you! Please, everyone, stay hidden! I'm sure I can handle Gaston, but if. I truly need help, I'll call for you."

No one was particularly thrilled with this, but they agreed so long as Belle would allow them to intervene if necessary.

A loud pounding was heard at the main doors of the castle... "He's here! Everyone, remember what I said! I can handle him, just trust me, please!" With that, everyone scattered to their usual places as Gaston attempted to break down the door on his own. Belle wasn't sure where Beast was, but she prayed he hid himself well enough to hide from the merciless hunter that's hot on her trail.

Belle kept herself hidden upstairs, in a place where she could call out to Gaston, but perhaps her voice would echo across the walls, making it more difficult to determine the correct direction to head in. But, it was also a good place to be able to keep an eye on things downstairs.

CRASH! THUD!

Gaston

The door crashed open and hit the wall as the man in red entered the dark castle in search of Belle, with his gun drawn and ready to face the Beast that took her away. "C'mon out Beast! Release Belle! She's mine!" He called out loudly, his voicing booming off the walls and echoing all around the castle. Gaston listened for any noise, any possible response to his statements, but he was met with silence, until... "You've yet to win, Gaston!"

 _Belle... But, where is she? Maybe if I can keep her talking, I'll be able to discern her location_.

"What ever do you mean, Belle? I found you! That means I won, and now we're going to be late to our wedding..." Gaston called out in response, hoping to get her talking again. "No, you sensed me in the dense woods, and then caught a mere glimpse of me later on. Now, tell me, Gaston... Does simply spotting a deer make a hunter successful?"

 _Oh no she did not just_...

"What are you saying?" The man in the elegant red leather Captain's coat questioned in an annoyed and now confused manner. _This woman is beginning to frustrate me to no end_...

"That in order for you to truly win, you must actually capture me, not just see me. A successful hunter is not one who simply goes out and spots deer. No, he's the one that catches his prey to bring it home."

Belle's words worked to distract Gaston from attempting to locate where her voice was coming from. The new revelation made him more frustrated than he already was. His breathing became more like huffing and puffing as his shoulders bounced up and down. He was attempting to regain control of himself before he did something stupid.

"So... I must find you and capture you... Then place you atop my horse and ride into the village in the same manner I do when I return from my hunts then shall I? Fine then... Ready or not, here I come. Belle!" Gaston roared as he charged the grand staircase. He knew she was upstairs, but exactly where? He was unsure.

He only had a few more hours to locate Belle, and he wasn't going to waste anymore time... "No more Mr. Nice Guy... I WILL marry you tonight, Belle... That's a promise..." Gaston whispered to himself as he began to search the second floor.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello readers! I want to thank you all for all the support you've given me! My goal with this story is for it to be the first fanfiction I finish, and I feel that I can reach that goal with your support! I also appreciate all of you who leave reviews, and I'm always so excited to get reviews!**

 **Anyway, on with the story!**

Maurice

The old man stared into the enchanted mirror once again to check on his beloved daughter, Belle. He prayed with all his might that Gaston had not yet found his daughter, although he knew in his heart that even if that man had not yet found Belle, he would surely be stepping up his efforts to find her. Maurice knew very well how far Gaston was willing to go in an attempt to secure Belle's hand in marriage, and that he would not allow anyone or anything to stand in his way. The man is ruthless when it comes to getting what he wants, when he wants it.

The old man saw his daughter, scrunched up in a dark corner of that dark and dreary castle. Gaston was standing in the middle of the grande staircase, trying o figure out if he should go up the left or right staircase... Maurice saw that Belle was located on the left side of the staircase.

 _Go up the right, go up the right... Maurice prayed that some Divine intervention would cause Gaston to take the right staircase._

But, alas, luck was not on his side as Gaston moved to the left. No...

Maurice watched as Belle crawled on her hands and knees in the dark shadows, trying to keep out of sight of the man in red. The old man was puzzled as he watched Belle make her way to another dark stairwell, the same one the Beast had drug him down when Belle took his place as the Beast's prisoner. _Why would she be going...?_

Belle

 _Just keep low for as long as possible... That way, you stay out of his sight!_

The beautiful woman kept on her hands and knees as she made her way toward that dark and dreary stairwell in the castle, where she knew the prison cells were located.

 _If I could just get him to follow me there, maybe I can lock him in one of the cells... That would, at the least, give me a chance to get out of here and put some distance between us... I just hope the cells can hold a very, very ticked off Gaston..._

"Oh, Belle..." the beautiful woman paused only momentarily before continuing on her course. She couldn't let the man in red distract her from doing what needed to be done. She knew he was getting closer, as she could hear his heavy footfalls getting louder.

Belle looked behind her, and gasped when she saw that she left a trail in the dust, which he must now be following. _He's toying with me now, but he won't be for long. He wants to win just as badly as I do, except that it's my freedom that's at stake here, not his.._.

 _I'm almost to the stairwell, maybe I should just make a run for it?_

Belle checked behind herself once more to check if Gaston was behind her yet. She didn't see him, but knew he was just around a corner, and was on the verge of seeing her. Belle got on her feet and ran the remaining distance toward the dark stairwell.

She didn't have much time to get to the cells, and she knew it. With Gaston hot on her trail, she knew she had a very small window of time to reach a cell, and that window was closing fast. The beautiful woman continued to pray that the Beast would remain hidden from Gaston, no matter what happens next. She knew Gaston would kill the Beast, or at the very least, call her out for cheating should the Beast come to her aide.

She had a feeling the man in the elegant red leather Captain's coat had cheated somehow, but which rule did he break and how could it be proven? She knew Gaston was desperate to have her, but was he desperate enough to follow all of the rules which she had laid out before the game began? She wasn't so sure he would, not if it meant he had even a small chance of losing this game, where she was the prize should he win.

She was getting close to the first cell when she heard heavy footfalls quickly making their way up the dark stairwell.

Gaston

The burly man in the elegant red leather Captain's coat approached the dark stairwell with a grin on his face. "Oh Belle... I believe you've just cornered yourself. Oh well, that just means we get to our wedding even sooner, now doesn't it?" Gaston spoke to himself, his excitement at finally having Belle right where he's wanted her all along welling up inside him. He ran up the stairs, eager to finally catch his intended bride. He was careful not to miss any steps, so he wouldn't trip and fall.

Soon, he came upon a lit torch that was perched in a holder on the wall, and the details of the stairwell were finally revealed. The burly man in red stopped running. This was no ordinary stairwell, this was a stairwell which held a number of prison cells in it.

 _Why would Belle go up here?_ Gaston thought as he stood just under the torch, his only source of light in this dark place. He listened carefully, for any sounds at all that may indicate where Belle had run off to. He also listened for any signs of danger, and held his pistol up high, ready to fire should it be deemed necessary.

But Gaston was only met with silence, and the crackling of the flames from the torch that was mounted on the wall behind him. He could see the edge of a cell just ahead of him, yet he heard no indication that anyone or anything was inside it.

Gaston grabbed the torch with his free hand and slowly moved forward, careful of his every step. He just wanted to find Belle, go back to the village and get married as soon as possible, then go about living married life with Belle.

"Where are you, Belle? This is no place for a beautiful woman such as yourself."

Again, Gaston was met with deafening silence, and it was driving him crazy that Belle was no longer answering him. _Why does she have to be so stubborn?_

Suddenly, he heard a noise from within the cell in front of him, and he quickly moved forward to investigate. He moved the torch so that it lit up the inside of the small cell, which held nothing but dust bunnies in every nook and cranny. The burly man's figure nearly filled up the small doorway, but he was unprepared when someone pushed him from behind.

Gaston fell forward, but caught his balance just in time to turn and see Belle slamming the door shut. The burly man stood stunned, staring at the beautiful woman who was able to best him, at least for the moment. "Belle..." The woman just stared at him, her face stern as she responded, "Gaston... As long as you're in here, you can't catch me... Good luck getting out..."

With that, Belle turned and left. Gaston rushed forward to the door, and called out to the woman's retreating figure. Frustrated when she didn't even stop or turn back to him, he shook the door and began kicking at it. He knew he was running out of time, and he had no intention of wasting it in this dingy cell. The only other way out was a sheer drop into the abyss of the stairwell. "Well, no one escapes prison cells like Gaston..." He muttered to himself, before calling out for Belle to hear, "Belle, when I get out of here, you best be prepared! For I am coming for you, and NOTHING will stop me! Do you hear me?! I won't be playing around anymore, Belle!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello!**

 **Holy crap, two chapters in one day! Wow! I had some inspiration, thanks to my mom who read my story. It also helped that I finally had a day off work (I've been working from 10 am to 8 pm)! Anyway, I just thought I'd try to write another chapter and give you guys a treat fro being such awesome readers! You guys are awesome!**

Belle

The beautiful woman ran through the castle as fast as she could; she had to get out quickly, just in case... She needed to put as much distance between her and Gaston as she possibly could. She could still hear his frustrated yelling as well as the promises and threats being made. If she wanted any chance at freedom, she needed to get away as soon as possible.

Belle continued her silent prayers for Beast's safety, and whispered "I love you, Beast..." before making her way through the great entryway that leads outside. Now, she had to run some more. She needed to head toward the village, where she should arrive shortly after sunset as long as she keeps moving and doesn't concern herself with hiding anymore.

 _I hope that cell can hold Gaston! But with his determination to have me, I'm afraid even that won't be enough to stop him!_

The beautiful woman heard a familiar snarl in the distance, and quickly decided that it would be best to climb the nearest tree rather than keep running. Using what energy she had left, Belle climbed a tall tree, branch by branch, until she reached a height where she felt safe and the branch was still thick enough to support her. There, she rested and waited until she deemed it safe enough to climb down.

But, it didn't take long for those familiar white wolves to make their presence known to Belle. She watched as they came running down the path she was taking, but they stopped when they caught her scent. Slowly they paced around, tracking her scent to the tree where she hid. The scar-faced leader looked up and snarled when it caught sight of Belle. Each of the wolves began to attempt to climb the tree, but there were no branches low enough for them to reach. The horde of snarling, snapping jaws did not give up though. Instead, they kept scratching at the tree, hoping to get enough grip to make an effort to climb.

All of a sudden, a gunshot rang out. The pack of wolves ceased their efforts to climb the tree, and silently looked off in the direction of the Beast's castle. Another gunshot rang out, and the snarling wolf pack dispersed in fear. Once the wolves cleared, Belle decided to wait a moment longer to allow the wolves to create more distance. But, she froze for a moment when she heard the sound of thundering hoofbeats pounding the frozen forest floor. "Gaston..."

Maurice

The old man continued to watch his daughter through the enchanted mirror, which she had entrusted him to watch over. He applauded his daughter's trickery that landed Gaston in a prison cell, much like the one the Beast had locked him up inside. But to say he was shocked when Gaston had somehow escaped was an understatement. He knew how determined that man was to have his daughter, yet he was still so shocked that gaston could escape from a prison cell.

Although hard to admit, it had been a good thing that Gaston escaped when he did, for he was just in time to scare away the pack of wolves in the enchanted forest that were trying to climb a tree to reach Belle. Luckily, they never really were going to reach her, but he feared what could've happened should Belle have fallen.

Now, the old man watched in fear as Gaston rode atop his magnificent black steed up to the tree where the wolves had been, and where Belle currently resides. Gaston dismounted his horse and assessed the scene briefly before looking up with a smile on his face.

Gaston

"Ah, Belle! See? I told you that I'd find you!" Gaston beamed as he approached the tree with his arms spread wide, as if he wanted to appear friendly and happy. Up the tree, Belle cringed, wishing desperately for a way out as Gaston made his way closer to the tree. She saw no escape, for by choosing to get out of reach of the wolves, she had cornered herself. "C'mon Belle... Are we going to have to do this the easy way or the hard way?"

When Belle didn't answer, Gaston let out a huff and rolled his shoulders. "Hard way it is, then..." Gaston muttered quietly as he hauled himself up the first branch. Then, like some kind of monkey or chimpanzee, the burly man quickly and easily made his way up the tree, getting closer and closer to Belle with every move. Belle gasped, and Gaston laughed at her attempt to continue to try and out-climb him. It's so cute how she thinks she can best me again.

Gaston smiled giddily as he closed in on Belle, the distance between them quickly shrinking as his experience allowed him to climb the tree at a much faster rate than she could.

"Now... I've... Gotcha!" Gaston exclaimed triumphantly as his hand clasped onto Belle's ankle. The beautiful woman cried out, "NO!" as her grip slipped briefly in surprise. "Alright, Belle... I've won, now let's go." Gaston gently tugged on her ankle to encourage her to climb down with him. Instead, she kicked him in the forehead with her free foot, causing both their grips to give way.

Hitting limb after limb, both Belle and Gaston fell from their place up in the tree. Belle landed atop Gaston, who groaned in pain. Belle wasted no time in continuing to try to escape, even though she knew her chances were now decreasing.

The burly man continued to lie on the forest floor, recovering from the hard fall and from Belle landing atop him. Although she's a small woman, she landed on him pretty hard and knocked the wind right out of him. He listened as she ran off, making note of the direction she was traveling in. As soon as he was able, he'd be on her trail once more. Oh, he's so close to having his wedding, nothing will stop him now.

As he lied on the ground still, he thought of how soft Belle's flesh was on her ankle. He would've continued his thoughts had his horse not come over and smelled him before licking his face. Gaston sat upright rather abruptly and momentarily startled his horse, "Dammit! Knock it off, will you!"

Gaston wiped the horse spit from his face, bitching and moaning as he did so. Then, slowly, he mounted his horse and prepared to give chase to Belle. "At least this way I get to enjoy the thrill of the chase, huh?" Gaston spoke quietly to himself as he urged his magnificent black steed to follow the path that Belle took.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello! Sorry it's been a while since I updated this story! Not only have I been busy at work, but I needed time to recuperate my creativity in order to even attempt writing more. I have also been working on my costume for Halloween, which will be Gaston (but a not so pretty version of him that survived the fall from the castle). Yes, I'm a girl dressing up as Gaston, but I don't care because it's Halloween and I think it's fun to dress up, even though I don't go trick or treating anymore.**

 **Thanks again to all of you readers that have left reviews, I really appreciate them!**

 **Now, on to the story!**

Belle

The beautiful woman continued to run with all her might, as she made her way through the forest in the direction of her village.

 _It's almost sunset time, if I can just hold on for a little bit longer_...

She was unable to finish her thoughts as her ears picked up the sound of heavy hoofbeats behind her that were getting louder and louder. Belle looked around, hoping to find some place where she could seek refuge from the man and beast that were quickly gaining on her, but nothing was in sight.

A black shape swiftly blew past her, then skidded to a halt before her. The man in the elegant red leather Captain's coat quickly dismounted his horse then barked an order at it. Belle was forced to stop as the horse came directly toward her, but then turned and was trotting in circles around her.

"Oh, Belle..." Gaston sighed as he looked at the beautiful woman his horse was now circling. Belle began to back up, but was stopped by Gaston's horse, who whinnied and trotted faster in order to prevent her from escaping his circle.

"Just give up this silly little game, already, Belle... My horse is trained not to allow anything he is circling to escape. I don't want you to get hurt, Belle, so just come with me the easy way... Willingly... Otherwise I will not hesitate to tie you up in the same manner that I do the wild game that I kill, since it seems as though you are so hell-bent on the game ending that way..."

Belle closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, trying to shut out Gaston's words as she contemplated a way to escape, or at least, stall him. The game ends when the sun sets, and the time is now nearing.

When the beautiful woman opened her eyes once more, a determined expression carved its way onto her face as her eyes met Gaston's triumphant ones. "I just have one question for you, Gaston... How in the world did you escape that cell in the castle?"

She watched as Gaston's eyebrows lifted momentarily, and his head moved back in a surprised manner, as if that was the last thing he was expecting to hear. He chuckled for a moment before answering, "Why, Belle, no one escapes from prison cells like Gaston!" He opened his arms wide, as if to emphasize his point.

But, Belle wasn't buying it. "Seriously, Gaston... How did you escape?" Belle truly was curious, as she was sure that she closed the cell correctly.

She watched as Gaston shook his head, "Belle, why must you know the details of such trivial matters?" "Gaston...! HOW?"

Belle watched as the man in red stiffened before her, taking a moment to fix his red jacket, then crossed his arms. "It was a rusty bolt or two in the door... They gave way when I continued to launch myself at the door..." The way in which he spoke sounded as if he hated to admit that it was mere luck that allowed him to escape, and not his own strength or brains... Though he may lack the latter from time to time...

Gaston

The man in red sighed once more, then looked toward Belle. "Time's up, Belle... Let's be on our way." Gaston began to make his way toward the beautiful woman being circled by his black steed.

Belle continued to back up, "Belle, stop! You don't want to trigger my horse! I don't want you to get hurt, please!" The beautiful woman stopped and looked at Gaston, wondering what he meant by 'trigger his horse'...

With Belle momentarily paused, Gaston decided that now was the time to take action in order to win, for time was running out. With that, Gaston rushed forward. Belle seemed to awaken the, and turned away to run, but Gaston reached forward and grabbed ahold of her wrist before pulling her into his arms.

The man in red kept a vice-like grip on the struggling beautiful woman as he barked an order to his horse, who responded by trotting in front of his master before coming to a halt. Wasting no time, Gaston, with one arm held securely onto his intended prize, reached into his saddlebag and retrieved a rope. Belle paused in her struggle only momentarily when she noticed the rope and gasped, but she quickly regained herself and struggled even more vigorously.

Gaston struggled to get the rope wrapped around the beautiful woman's wrists, as he tried to hold them behind her back. "Keep in mind, Belle, that you essentially forced me to do this. If you came willingly, I wouldn't have to wrap this rope around you like this. It's for your own safety, Belle, so you wouldn't fall off my horse and get hurt. If you don't stop this, Belle, I will be forced to secure your legs by your ankles, too! Now, do you want that?"

Maurice

The old man continued to bite at his nails as the stress of the situation only got worse as the sun got closer to setting. _Did he dare look at the mirror again_?

"Show me Belle."

Maurice gasped in horror at the sight before his eyes. Gaston had Belle tied up, and Maurice watched as he lifted his daughter up and laid her atop his horse, before quickly mounting the saddle behind her. He adjusted her position before kicking the horse to make it run at a full gallop back to the village.

"Oh no you don't, young man... Remember, I've been watching you, sir, and I will speak out against you when you get back to Villeneuve!"

Other

 _I had to get to Belle! I just had to! I had to try to help her, somehow! There's a little trick to that enchanted mirror which may help, but I have to get to the village first_!

"Lumiere, please fetch me a horse. I've got to go try to help Belle!"

Lumiere bowed, "Yes, master! Right away, anything to help the mademoiselle!"

"Don't worry, Belle, we won't let that man win..."


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello!**

 **I'm so sorry this took so long to update! I feel bad :(**

 **The Halloween store is getting pretty busy now that it is October. I've also had some issues with electronics, and I had some writer's block. I've worn my Gaston costume twice now, and it's a hit! It is based on the 2017 Gaston, and because it's supposed to be him surviving the fall, it is covered in dirt, and my wig has twigs, leaves, dirt, and even dog hair in it (my mom's idea haha, she said 'what, there's animals in the forest!')**.

Maurice

The old man hurried as quickly as he could through the village, shouting to the villagers as he made his way to the place he anticipated Gaston and Belle would arrive at. He wanted a crowd to be there while he made his accusations against the man in red, and hoped that if he should get enough support from the villagers, Gaston would not be able to make off with his daughter against her will. Maurice still safeguarded the enchanted mirror, which he kept within his coat, just in case it should be needed.

The villagers began to congregate around the fountain, their voices growing loud enough to drown out the sound of the flowing water, but still quiet enough that they could hear any indication of Gaston and Belle's arrival. The old man sat on the ledge of the fountain as he waited, his palms becoming sweaty in anticipation, and his heart pounding like a galloping horse.

Soon enough, the distant sound of a horses' whinnying caught the attention of all the villagers, and especially of Maurice, who stood and began to ready himself for the fight he knew Gaston would put up in an attempt to keep Belle.

Belle

The beautiful woman's heart is racing as fast as her mind is, which is racing as fast as Gaston's black steed that she's currently sitting upon. _That brute tied my hands behind my back so that I can't fight him off, so he has a steeled arm clamped around my waist to prevent me from falling off his speeding horse_. Belle hasn't dared look at his face, fearing the determined look that she knows is currently plastered there. She knows exactly where he will head as soon as they reach the village... The church, to get married before she has a chance to get away from him.

Gaston's horse whinnied in excitement as the village came into view over the hill. The sun is nearly set, and the air has begun to cool. The crickets are chirping, as if to replace the beautiful melodies sung by birds during the daylight hours. The window for the game is closing very fast now.

Gaston

The man in red could barely contain his excitement as his horse closed in on their village. He had Belle, he had won the game and she was now his. Or at least, she will be as soon as they return to the village, find the church and get Pére Robért to marry them. The slightest hint of a smile was hidden by the determined look on his face as he urged his horse to race on.

The sooner he gets back to the village, the sooner he gets to marry Belle.

As his horse neared the entrance to the village, the man in red slowed the horse to a trot. He could begin to hear the gathered voices of the villagers now, and knew Maurice would be there too. Gaston prepared himself, for he knew the old man wouldn't give up his daughter easily, even if she had agreed to this game and it was her idea in the first place.

As Gaston and Belle entered the village atop his horse, the commotion of the villagers grew louder. But, the voices ceased as soon as Gaston and Belle came into view. The man in red dismounted his horse first, then reached up and helped Belle down. As Gaston worked to untie her hands, he saw the crowd part as Maurice made his way toward them.

Gaston watched out of the corner of his eye as the old man lifted a hand to point at Gaston, "I saw, and heard you, Gaston. You had no intention from the beginning to follow all of Belle's rules." The old man didn't falter as Gaston slowly turned his head to give a warning glare. "She clearly said that you are NOT to go after the Beast, no matter the outcome of the game... Yet, you intended to hunt and kill him, regardless..."

Gaston finally freed Belle's wrists, and she flung herself at her father before turning to Gaston with anger in her eyes. "How dare you!" She clenched her fists as Gaston continued to glare at her father. Boy, if looks could kill...

"His word is hardly proof... Do you have any witnesses to hold up this claim?" Gaston looked around, challenging Maurice. The old man knew he couldn't rely on LeFou to speak in his favor, for one look from Gaston is all it takes for LeFou to shut his mouth or say exactly what Gaston wants him to say.

"Well... No..." Maurice shrug his shoulders, wishing he could somehow play back that conversation he overheard through the enchanted mirror.

Gaston turned towards Belle once more, a hint of determination showing once again in his eyes before he scanned the crowd for a certain priest.

"What about your horse, Gaston? I said that you couldn't get help from anyone in any way! Yet, you rode your horse through the forest to track me down and capture me."

 _Oh, so now she's going to try stalling, huh? The man in the elegant red leather Captain's coat smirked at her attempt. This is too easy, he thought._

"My horse? Why, according to French law, my horse has no more rights than a piece of furniture in my house. It would be no different had I taken a stool to rest on or help me reach a tree branch to get a better view! So, according to French law, I received no help, I merely utilized a tool that was at my disposal. Besides, Descartes says animals are autonomous. You kick a dog, it yelps as a reaction, but that's all it is. They don't think, or feel, they just react. In other words, Belle, a horse is not a human, so he can't have helped me!"

Gaston looked around as the villagers nodded in agreement. Things were just getting better and better, and soon enough, he'll be married to the woman of his dreams!

"Halt! Belle!" Gaston and the villagers turned towards the entrance of the village to see a man with long blonde hair atop a regal-looking horse. The villagers gasped as more people came into view behind the man, and cries rang out as they recognized long-lost family members.

But, Gaston merely stood between Belle and this mystery man, ready to fight this man who dared interrupt his plans and his victory.

 **Again, I'm sorry this took so long to update! I wanted to get something put up for you guys, and I am grateful for your patience and thank you for continuing to read this and leave reviews! You guys rock! I'm sorry if this isn't my best work, it was written between 10:30-12:00 at night...**


	11. Chapter 11

Hide & Seek Chapter 11

 **Hey guys!**

 **I'm sorry this took a while again to update, but I am done now at the Halloween store, so I have more free time. Still searching for a new job, though… Anyway, it also took some time to think about how to continue the story/prepare to finish it. I've been playing with ideas in my head and thought of the feedback I have received.**

 **Thank you to all of my story followers and readers! I always look forward to getting new reviews! Btw, when I wrote of Descartes and kicking dogs and causing them to yelp being an autonomous reaction, I was not stating that Gaston ever did that himself. It is known that Descartes' followers (literally the people in the same area he lived) would go around kicking dogs just to 'prove' his point. Just because someone is familiar with Descartes does not mean they went around kicking/abusing animals because they believed them to be autonomous and unfeeling…**

 **P.S. see if you can spot the little Supernatural reference ;) I couldn't resist!**

The beautiful woman watched with confusion as a mysterious man atop a horse called out to her from the entryway of the village.

 _Who is that man? How does he know my name?_

She watched as he made his way towards her, though she had some difficulties due to the hulking man in red standing in front of her, attempting to block her from the view of the intruder.

"Belle! It's me, I was the Beast!"

Belle couldn't help but notice as Gaston tensed up before her at the word 'Beast'. She tried to peek around him in order to see the eyes of the man claiming to have been Beast, but Gaston kept moving to block her every time he heard her try to step around him.

Becoming frustrated with the gargantuan in front of her, Belle decided to change tactics and ram her elbow in between his ribs.

"Gaston! Let me see, you assbutt!"

Gaston was unprepared for the hit in his ribs and the foul word that came from the mouth of the beautiful woman he desired as his wife. His eyes widened as he reached for the now sore spot on his side, and for a moment, he forgot the entire world. He couldn't seem to wrap his head around the fact that a woman so beautiful was capable of such language.

Belle took advantage of his surprise and stepped around him to get a better look at the eyes of the mystery man. His long, blonde locks were unfamiliar, but there was something about his eyes… Those blue eyes that held a gentle nature which she had seen once before… "Beast…?"

The mystery man smiled as he reached forward to hold Belle, but at that moment, Gaston snapped back to reality. With the speed of his magnificent steed, he launched forward and simultaneously pushed Belle behind him once more and roughly shoved away the mystery man claiming to be Beast. "Stay away from her! She's mine!"

"Hey! Don't treat her that way!"

The villagers gasped as they witnessed this strange man standing up to Gaston. No one except LeFou really praised/looked up to Gaston anymore, but everyone knew not to get on his bad side. Even so, the man still knew just the right words to say in order to get his way in the simple village. The villagers waited with bated breath to see how Gaston would react to the newcomer's attempt at standing up to him and getting in his way.

The man in the elegant red leather captain's coat simply stared at the newcomer, hoping his tensed and wide-gaited stance paired with an angered look on his face would be enough to intimidate the "former Beast" into backing off.

"You can't scare me, you buffoon! I'm more scared of losing Belle than anything else in the world."

Gaston's nostrils flared in anger at this revelation. Belle still stood behind the bulky man, trying to decide on her next move. An idea struck, so she turned around to face her father, "Papa! The mirror!"

The old man quickly reached into his coat to fetch the enchanted object, as Gaston slowly turned around to face the two.

"Belle, the mirror only shows images, it cannot play sound." The former Beast spoke softly to the beautiful woman as her father handed her the enchanted mirror.

Gaston merely chuckled and smirked at Belle's reaction to this revelation. _How do I get myself out of this mess, now? The Beast, now human, is right there!_

The beautiful woman looked up past Gaston and met the tender gaze of human-Beast, who had made his way into her line of view after Gaston turned his back to him. Belle grew confused as human-Beast smiled and winked at her. _Uh-oh, what's he going to do now?_

"As your Prince, I command you step away from Belle… Immediately."

Once more the villagers gasped, recognition dawning on their faces as they looked away from their loved ones they have been reunited with. Gaston stood taller, rather suddenly, before turning around once more to meet the confident gaze of this man who is claiming to be a Prince and a former Beast. Gaston chuckled, "Prince? You? You're dressed no different than any other peasant, yet you claim royalty?"

The Prince simply shrugged his shoulders and continued to smile, "What need have I for royal dressings? You should recognize your Prince, regardless of his attire. And being Prince, I can dress however I want. I don't need to meet your requirements for 'royal fashion'".

Gaston, being as bull-headed as ever, was not yet ready to back down, not even for the Prince. "And what, _my dear Prince_ , will you do if I refuse to move away from Belle?" Gaston made sure to spit extra venom into his words when regarding this so-called 'Prince'.

The Prince continued to smile. "I'll just have you thrown in jail."

"On what charges?!"

"I'm the Prince… I could have you locked away for looking at me the wrong way while I'm having a bad day…"

Huffing and puffing loudly, Gaston hesitantly stepped away from Belle; though he still made sure to keep his chest puffed up, not ready to admit to the damage occurring to his ego at the moment.

Although Gaston still remained close to her, he did move away enough for her to finally breathe a bit better. She mouthed 'Thank you' to the Prince, even though she knew this fight was yet to be over. She knew better than to stand between two bucks preparing to square off over a doe.

"Belle, come over here, please." The Prince extended his hand toward her, inviting her over to him and away from Gaston.

"Belle, don't… I won, that means that Belle… Is… MINE!" Gaston extended his arm to block Belle from reaching the Prince.

"Gaston… I am aware of a certain little incident in the woods… I would be more than ecstatic to replay it on the enchanted mirror for all the village to see! Unless, of course, you allow Belle to make her own choices here… You know, she only played the game to save me and her father…"

Gaston froze up, knowing exactly what '"incident" the Prince was referring to. Slowly he lowered his arm, allowing Belle to escape his grasp once more, only to run into the arms of another man. He could only watch as Belle and the Prince made their way away from him, holding one another.

Belle's father simply couldn't pass up the opportunity. He made his way towards Gaston, who still had his back to him, and whispered in his ear as the villagers dispersed… "Bad guy falls in poop!"

Gaston turned toward the older man, angered, but more so by the man who stole his would-be wife. With a deep breathe, he turned and walked away briskly toward his tavern, ready to drink away the day.

 **Well, I hope this ending was alright! I honestly had NO idea where it would go! Thank you for going on this adventure with me! It feels good to have finally met my goal of completing my first fanfiction! Yay! This chapter was not really planned out, just like the rest of the story; it was a "I'm writing this thing as it comes to me, let's see what the heck happens".**

 **I swear the ending is the hardest part to write, aside from the beginning (it's always hard to start writing, but once you get going…)**

 **P.S. did you catch the little George of the Jungle bit? I couldn't help myself with that one either! I've honestly been waiting for someone to make a video on YouTube of Gaston falling in the pig pen and the voiceover of the "Bad guy falls in poop" scene; even though it's mud it would still be funny (at least I think it would haha).**


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